On a recent trip to the California Central Coast, we happened upon a magical wonder—El Moro Elfin Forest Natural Area. It was an especially wonderful surprise for us, as we had lived in Santa Barbara for over 20 years, and had been to the Central Coast many, many times over the years. However, this was our first encounter with this natural wonder. Just 12 miles east of San LuisObispo lies enchantingMorro Bay and neighboring towns, includingLosOsos, home of the Elfin Forest.
This type of forest is known not only as Elfin but Dwarf and Pygmy, as well. El Moro Elfin Forest is about 90 acres in size on the southeastern shore of Morrow Bay. The name comes from the short stature of the Coast Live Oaks. We know these Live Oaks as growing as tall as 50 feet in Los Osos and up to 80 feet elsewhere in California. But here in the Elfin Forest, the oaks are stunted by the local environment and grow in a range of just 4-20 feet! Plants found in the elfin forest grow during the winter months and become dormant during the summer due to drought stress. Here plant communities also rely on taking in moisture from the air by intercepting fog to supplement the low, seasonal rainfall.
Just in this compact Los Osos preserve you can see seven distinct environment types, each with its special flora and fauna: 1) Coastal Dune Scrub; 2) Maritime Chaparral; 3) Coastal Live Oak Woodland; 4) Riparian Woodland; 5) Brackish Water Marsh; 6) Coastal Salt Marsh; and 7) Estuary Waters, (when the tide is in)/Estuary Mud, (when the tide is out). Packed into this relatively small area, the Elfin Forest supports more than 200 plants, 110 kinds of birds, 22 species of mammals, and 13 species of reptiles and amphibians. It is also home to rare plants, butterflies, snails, and birds. As an added treasure, Chumash Native middens can be found throughout the forest.
The best part is this natural wonder can be viewed from almost a mile of a wheelchair-accessible boardwalk loop which protects the Forest's sensitive habitat and allows viewers an up close and personal look at this highly varied area. The boardwalk also features welcoming viewing platforms and benches. All of the accessibility has been made possible by the Friends of El Moro Elfin Forest, (FEMEF).
In doing my research, I happened on FEMEF's website and found a treasure trove of information--including an archive of their newsletter called “Oak Leaves”, an index of all the subjects written about in the newsletter with terrific, informative links, and even YouTube videos of Forest's fauna in action! The index is an excellent resource and truly just a lot of fun to “wander around and get lost in.” The entrance to the Elfin Forest can be accessed on several residential streets in Los Osos and signage is clear and abundant.
There are several other Coastal temperate elfin forests in California covering the mountains in the southern half of the state and extending into Mexico, Nevada, and Arizona. And another expanse of elfin forest can be found on Cuesta Ridge—the San Luis Obispo Elfin Forest of dwarf cypresses and another in Mendocino County.
Summer is the perfect time to adventure on the Central Coast. It provides a respite from our heat as well as grand sites such as Morro Rock, beautiful beaches, engaging sea life, and, of course, The Elfin Forest. So grab your camera and binoculars and head on out. We're already planning our next visit!